The Dickinson press. (Dickinson, Stark County, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1883-1927, 1887-07-30

other dark, tho fair one wringing her hands,
the dark one calmly putting little revolver
into its case. This was the one selected to
take down and read 1t turned out to be
an exciting bigamy, and read OH until n
neighhorinS clock warned me that l2 had
come. 1rose with a feeling of relief, for
knew that the bigamy was going to result in
murder, and what had gone before was har-
rowing enough Carefully l put out the
lights and stepped into the passage, where
found my candle, but no matches. Creep
ing back into the library, 1 fumbled
along the mantelpiece and over the
tables, but no matches! Then, with
burslarious feeling, stole along the
passage to the kitchen; the door creaked dis.
mally on opening; entered, and foun,l the
llie carefully raked out, and still 10 matches .
Inc thought as to how on earth was to find
my room III the dark became almost unbcar-
aole; remembered that it was an end room,
Dut as to which of the maze of passages it was
III, and on which side, my mind was an abso-
lutte blank.
At length mustered up courage enough to
pegih the ascent of the stairs; they groaned
ut each step, so took Off my boots. When l
got 10 Tue top lma'ca long pause to consider
be1ore me was long passage which l cer-
talnly remembered; from it branch.sl several
small passages, one of which led to nv room,
But which of them! Alas, had no idea, A
happy Thought struck me, to toss for it; but
AGAIN was thwarted; in the first place l
should probably miss the coin and awaken
somebody with the noise: i'll the second place,
II did catch it, l couldn't see it. So that
was no use
desperation came to the ereScue. and firmly
made up my mind to walk up the middle pas
sage. dlSo, and felt tlctwo end doors with
my niger tips III vain; who can feel painted
numbers! listened for the sound of breath
ing, to know which to avoid, but could hear
none but my own. Suddenly, rs often iu
such cases of extreme despair, the conviction
came strong upon NE that it was the left
hand door. The thought however, of mis-
take proved almost too strong for me; |
pictured to myself the inevitable Shrek. fol-
lowed 10y twenty others, the opening or lock.
ING OF twenty doors, the awful figure of Miss
epllhey Ill dressing gown aud nightcap
bearing down OH me candle in hand, the
trembling crowd of teachers (Blue Ewes
among them9, servants and pupils behind,
myself the detected criminal with boots off,
Nevertheless, rerched my teeth, aud grasp.
ing the handle tightly, turned it slowly and
quietly There was no sound, and in J.
Stole. 1t must be my ROOM But what is
that! a head OH the pillowt Yes, bv all That's
sacred, the wrong room!
how got out of that room never know.
y cold shudder came over me when | fuund
myself outside, and | felt more inclined to re-
man Standing Ill the passage Until daylight
tL''h 10 so through any such ordeal again
But got tired of standing, and calmer re.
nectioh induced me to try the next passage
WIN sencwal of the horrid sensation hive
described, l vent,lrel, and to nv unsp.ak
hpie relief found myself in the right room at
last. Hastily sprang into bed, but courte,l
sieep III valn Tor my brain was in whirl
after the excitement of the last half hour.
In the morning, with shattered nerves I
came down to breakfast: unfortunately NOT
I" b" treasured at once. Who could be com
1ortable with twenty pairs of eyes to put one
out, whose owners thoroughly enjoy tho dis
comfiturc they effect. Blue Ewes did hcr hest
lor me, and saved me from feeling utterly
miserable. A quarter to III saw the whole
school delile two and two to church. / did
not accompany them: the influence of the
fresh air i'll IN orchard at the back of the
mousse seemed more refreshing to my broken
constitution The midday dinner was almost
as bad rs the breakfast, the double line of
eyes all down the table were rivete,l on mo
anu consequently mine on my platoon my
plate, save when they straycd to certain rosy
fingers not far of, and upwards to certain
blue eyes of which alon. they did not so..m
afraid. Tho afternoon brought a welcome
change IN my relations with the school: we
all adjourned to the orchard before men
toned, and there under the cool shade of mn
apple tree, | examined, each with its charm
ing owner, some twenty albums. How fond
they are of albums, those delightful girls
OF under II. l asked Blue Eyes to show
me an album, but she sttd that pupil teachers
never kept them, which ! told her was n fiji
Still, she sat down and talked instead of
showing me an album, and this was really
pleasanter.
On leaving such good friends next div 7
was, as is only natural, a little depressed: but
my awful adventure of the wrong room still
haunted me, and felt safe at any rate when
the gate of Algebra Lodge closed behind our
cab.
There was much pleasure rs well as pain in
my experience of this unknown world of
girdom, short and slight though that expert
ence was; but on looking back | have to
thank my stars that things were not worse.
that my departure was easy aud ,llgnifed in
stead of being n midnight scramble
so ends my stroy, as told to my friends of
the smoking room. ! did not confitle to them
what will now to you, my gentle reader.
Two summers later my sister brought home
for the holidays one of her teachers, whom
She described as being lawfully jolly" 1t
was Blue Eyes! One evening told her the
whole story of my adventure that night.
She laughed so much at my ,nisfortunes that
grew angry and said She had no sympathy.
Then she pouted then kissed her, and then
She promised to marry me when
got nlastership or work at the bar This is
why l am working so hard now-Roland
Graeme in Belgravia